Method and device for mixing texile fibers



Dec. 15, 1953 H. SCHWEIZER- 2,662,250

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MIXING TEXTILE-FIBERS Filed May 21, 1951 l I I l lINVENTOR. 3 [7AN5 5 CH WE/ZER.

Patented Dec. 15, 1953 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DIDHNG TEXTILE FIBERS HansSchweizer, Luino, Italy, assignor to Actiengesellschaft Joh. JacobRieter & Gie.-, Winterthur, Switzerland, .a. corporation of SwitzerlandApplication May 21, 1951, Serial No. 227,317

Claims priority, application Switzerland May 30, 1950 7 Claims. (01.19-146.)

The present invention relates to a method and a device for intimatelymixing textile fibres.

Intimate mixing of the textile fibres of different batches of supply,for example cotton from different bales, or of fibres of differentkinds, for example cotton and rayon staples or of differently dyedfibres, is of prime importance for producing high quality threads andyarns, i. e. having uniform strength, elongation, and color. Intimatemixing also reduces failures during spinnmg.

It has been proposed to place the fibres to be mixed in superimposedlayers and to remove fibres along a vertical plane from the so producedstack; this is usually done in mixing chambers of suificient capacity toreceive a great number of opened bales. With this method, satisfactorymixing depends on the workmanship of the operators. In anotherconventional method, a plurality of bales are fed into each of aplurality of bale opener machines which discharge the opened materialinto the hopper of an additional bale opener. Though this produces goodmixing of the fibres, it does not assure that the yarn produced from themixture does not have lengths consisting predominantly of one kind offibre in the mixture. In many cases there is not enough space forplacing the great number of bale openers required for this method. Ithas also been proposed to place alternatingly layers of different originin a reciprocating chamber to produce a pile containing superimposedlayers of diiferent fibres. The so produced stack is transferred into anelongated chamber in which the fibre material is removed from the stackalong a substantially vertical plane. This method is satisfactory aslong as the stack is large. When removing fibre material from the lastportion of the stack, the latter collapses and the fibres are not takenequally from all layers.

The method according to the invention avoids the aforedescribeddisadvantages of conventional systems by first spreading the fibres ofthe same batches in layers, placing the layers of different fibresscale-like on top of each other to form a pile whose height increasestoward the side of the pile from which the fibres are subsequentlyremoved and at which side the number of superimposed layers coincideswith the number of fibre batches to be mixed.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafterset forth in the accompanying specification and claims, and shown in thedrawings which, by way of illustration, show what I now consider to bepreferred embodiments ofmy invention. i

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view of a mixing apparatusaccording to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top view of a bale opener and feed lattice withbales ready to be processed laid out along the lattice;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic top view of the aptpe'atus shownin Fig. 1 withcertain parts omit- Like parts are designated by like numerals in allfigures of the drawings;

TIhe bale opener I shown in Fig. 2 comprises a feed lattice 2 on whoselongitudinal sides the raw fibres which must be mixed are placed; in theillustrated example seven cotton bales A are lined up on the floor oneach side of the lattice. The operator pulls a layer from each bale andplaces the layers on the lattice in a. row. After the compressed cottonis loosened in the opener i, it travels through conduit 3 and ispreferably opened further in several additional horizontal and verticalopener machines which are not shown. The opened cotton is received in adischarging device I which throws it on the lattice 5. The latter isdisposed in a frame 6 which is provided with wheels I rolling on.rails8. Rollers 9 coaxial with wheel pairs 1 serve for moving thelattice 5. Support rollers I0 supported by frame 6 and disposed halfwaybetween rollers 9 prevent sagging of the lattice '5, which is preferablymade of rubber. A rope, chain, or belt ll whose ends are connected withthe frame or carriage 6 is wound several times about a drum I3 andguided by a plurality of rollers I? for moving the carriage 5 on therails 8. Drum I3 is driven bya motor 14 through a gear comprising twospur gear wheels I! and I8 which are rotatable on shaft 15 of motor [4.Wheel 1 drives spur gear wheel 29 mounted on shaft .22 of the drum 13through an intermediate spur gear wheel 19, whereas wheel 18 directlydrives aspur gear wheel 2| also mounted :on shaft 22. Wheels l1 and 18are selectively driven by the :shaft 15 through a claw clutch member 16which is axially movable but not rotatable on shaft 15 and adapted toengage either claws provided on wheel I? or claws. provided-on wheel 18.Clutch member 16 is engaged by a fork having'a stem 23 which isswingable on pin 21. A lever 25 is rigidly connected with stem 23 andactuated by a rod '26 having two transversely extending arms 21 and 2Bwhich are individually .abutted "by the frame 6 when the latter reachesits extreme positions.

This causes axial displacement ofclutch member 16 on shaft I 5 andreversal of movement of the frame whenever it has reached an extremeposition. Since the rollers 3 are rotated by the wheels 1 of the frame,the upper part of the lattice 5 always moves in the same direction asthe frame, which is continuously pulled back and forth by the rope H.The illustrated mechanical reversing gear may be replaced, for example,

vided with a rope or chain drive 33 at its forward 7 end. An almostvertical lattice 34 is placed at the forward end of the lattice conveyor32 and provided with spikes. vented by a casing 35 having a trough-likeconfiguration at its bottom extending toward the forward end of thelattice 32. The spikes of the lattice 34 are cleaned by a clearer roller36 after they have reached their uppermost position. A fluted roller 31compresses the fibre material in front of the top of lattice 34. Parts34, 36 and 31 are driven by a motor 38 placed on top of chamber 29. Theupper roller of the upright or elevator lattice 34 has a drive wheel 4|which is driven by motor 38 through a belt or chain 40. A spur gearwheel 42 is arranged on the same shaft as wheel 4| and meshes with awheel 43 on the shaft of the clearer roller 36 and with a wheel 44driving the fluted roller 31. Motor 38 also drives a set of spur gears45, 46, 41 for driving the rope or chain 33.

Operation At first, layers a of fibre material are lined up on lattice2, said layers corresponding in size to the weight of a layer A1 inchamber 29. The fibres of previously adjacent layers a are mixed to acertain degree when the cotton is turned over within the bale opener I.This does not interfere with the result ultimately produced by the newprocess. The discharge device 4 throws the fibre material, after beingloosened in the opener I, onto the lattice 5 which is moved with theframe 6 from the position shown in solid lines and designated I in Fig.l to the left to the position shown in dotted lines and designated 11and thereupon back to the right, and again to the left and so on. Thetraveling speed of the lattice 5, whose upper portion always moves inthe same direction as the frame 6, is as great as that of the frame.

When the lattice 5 is in position I, it is loaded with fibres. While theframe with lattice 5 moves to the left, to position II, more fibres areplaced on the lattice. The latter, moving in the same direction as theframe, throws the fibres over theleft end of the lattice and down on thepile in chamber 29. While the frame travels back to position I, fibresare placed on the lattice and are thrown by the advancing lattice downon the pile.

Lattice 32 in chamber 29 continuously pushes the fibre material formingthe layers A1 toward the elevator lattice 34. The spikes of the latterequally tear off cotton from all layers and move it upward. The reel 36moves the torn-off fibres into the discharge duct 48 from which thefibre material moves to machines completing the mixing process.

For causing layers A1 toassume an inclined 4 position in chamber 29, thedevice may be operated as follows:

While motor 38 is stopped, as many layers are piled horizontally onlattice 32 as there are bales A, the total height of the piled fibrematerial not exceeding one half of the height of chamber 29.

Thereupon the pile is parted in the middle between wall 30 and elevator34 and the left half of the pile mixed somewhat by hand and part of itplaced on top of the right half of the pile to form a wedge-shaped pileas shown in Fig. 1.

Thereupon motor 38 is started and fibre material thrown into chamber 29from lattice 5 in the aforedescribed manner.

'As shown in Fig. 1, fourteen layers are piledv on lattice 32, thefifteenth or top layer, which is of the same composition as the bottomlayer,

Escape of fibers is preposition to be worked and removed by the spikesof lattice 34.

A more intimate mixing of the fibres may be obtained by making thelayers thinner, whereby more, for example, thirty, layers may be piledin chamber 29.

To assure that fibres of all layers are worked, the speed of lattice 34is maintained in proper relation to that of lattice 32. This may be doneby selecting a suitable ratio of the gears 45, 46, 41..

While I believe the above described embodiments of my invention to bepreferred embodi-- ments, I wish it to be understood that I do notdesire to be limited to the exact details of method, design, andconstruction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occurto a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. Method of mixing individual batches of tax-- tile fibres, comprisingplacing the individual batches in a row, forming layers of the fibrematerial of said batches consecutively in the order' in which they arein said row scale-like, continuously and consecutively superimposingsaid layers to form a pile whose height increases toward one of itssides and in which said layers are substantially equally thick andcorrespond in consecutive order to the order in which said layers: areformed from said batches, and removing the fibre material from the sideof said pile toward. which its height increases and simultaneously fromall layers and in relative amounts corresponding to the relative amountsof the fibre material in said row. 2. Method of mixing individualbatches of textile fibres, comprising placing the individual batches ina row, transforming said batches into: layers consecutively in the orderin which they are in said row, continuously, consecutively andscale-like placing said layers on top of each otherin the same order inwhich they were formed from said batches to form a pile having avertical section of substantially the configuration of a. rectangulartriangle standing on one of its sides, the sequence of said layers insaid pile and their relative thickness corresponding to the sequence inwhich the layers were formed from and to the relative amounts of fibresin said batches, and removing the fibre material from said pile at theother side of said triangle simultaneously from all layers and inproportionate amounts corresponding to the amounts of the batches asthey are in said row.

3. A device for mixing textile fibres, comprising a longitudinal chamberhaving a bottom and an open top; a first horizontal conveyor latticedisposed at the bottom of said chamber; a second horizontal conveyorlattice receiving the fibres to be mixed, being substantially half aslong as and longitudinally reciprocatingly movable along the top of saidchamber, and discharging the fibres alternatingly over one of its endsfor piling the fibres on said first lattice; and an elevator latticedisposed in said casing on one side thereof, having an end adjacent toan end of said first lattice, and having spikes tearing fibres from oneside of the pile of fibres stacked on said first lattice and pushed bythe latter toward said elevator lattice, and removing the torn-ofifibres from said casing.

4. A device for mixing textile fibres, comprising a longitudinal chamberhaving an open top; a horizontal frame substantially half as long as andbeing disposed in the top of said chamber and being horizontallyreciprocatingly rollingly supported longitudinally thereof; a firsthorizontal conveyor lattice placed at the bottom of said chamber; asecond horizontal conveyor lattice mounted on said frame for receivingthe fibres to be mixed and discharging same over its ends for piling thefibres on said first lattice; and an elevator lattice disposed in saidcasing on one side thereof, having an end adjacent to an end of saidfirst lattice, and having spikes tearing fibres from one side of thepile of fibres stacked i on said first lattice and pushed by the lattertoward said elevator lattice, and removing the tornoff fibres from saidcasing.

5. A device for mixing textile fibres, comprising a longitudinal chamberhaving an open top; hori- 3 zontal rails extending longitudinally ofsaid chamber in the top thereof; a carriage substantially half as longas said chamber and having wheels rolling on said rails, two rollersindividually connecting two wheels rolling on different rails androlling with said wheels; means for reciprocatingly moving said carriageon said rails;

a first horizontal conveyor lattice placed at the bottom of saidchamber; a second horizontal conveyor lattice supported and moved bysaid rollers and receiving the fibres to be mixed and discharging sameover its ends for piling the fibres on said first lattice; and anelevator lattice disposed in said casing on one side thereof, having anend adjacent to an end of said first lattice, and having spikes tearingfibres from one side of the pile of fibres stacked on said first latticeand pushed by the latter toward said elevator lattice, and removing thetorn-ofi fibres from said casing.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5, said means for moving the carriageon the rails comprising a flexible member having an end connected withsaid carriage, a drum on which a portion of said flexible member iswound, drive means for rotating said drum, and means connected with saiddrive means and adapted to be actuated by said carriage for changing thedirection of rotation of said drive means according to the position ofsaid carriage. 7. A device as set forth in claim 5, said means formoving the carriage on the rails comprising a flexible member having anend connected with said carriage, a drum on which a portion of saidflexible member is wound, drive means for rotating said drum, and meansresponsive to the position of said carriage and interposed between saiddrive means and said drum for changing the direction of rotation of thelatter according to the position of said carriage.

HANS SCHWEIZER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,929,344 Benoit Oct. 3, 1933 2,195,018 Benoit Mar. 26, 19402,227,175 Benoit Dec. 31, 1940

